8 Henshaw, In Memoriam: William Brewster. LJan. 



farm and still later the 'Ritchie Place,' so that finally he possessed 

 some three hundred acres, mostly woodland, "which he called col- 

 lectively "October Farm." 



Its timber consisted chiefly of pines, oaks and birches, and it 

 was a sore trial to him when, despite a large yearly expenditure in 

 their behalf, the brown tails and 'gypsies' killed practically all 

 the oaks. They were his joy and pride, and the place was never 

 quite the same to him after their glory had departed and their 

 bare branches were raised to him as if in mute appeal for aid. 



Not the least valued of his farm possessions was the old but still 

 well preserved Barrett farm house, which dated back at least two 

 centuries, and between the old house, shaded by venerable elms, 

 and the river camp, on the banks of the classic Concord, no lover 

 of Nature could ask to be more favorably placed. 



At one time he found much pleasure in canoeing, in which he 

 became expert, and he made himself familiar with every muskrat 

 house for miles above and below his camp and with the haunts of 

 the rails, bitterns and ducks in the marshes. He was very fond 

 of sojourning for weeks at a time in his log cabin until the river 

 was invaded by power boats, the incessant throb of whose motors 

 proved torture to his sensitive ears. x\s time went on, too, the 

 water of the Concord became polluted by the refuse of the mills 

 along its banks, which resulted in the practical extermination of 

 its water plants and fish, and he ceased to care for his old river 

 haunts. 



Later, when in Concord, he lived in the farm house often in 

 company with Henry Purdie, of whom he was very fond. Here, 

 as elsewhere, the comfort of himself and his guests were looked after 

 by "Gilbert," his factotum and friend, and he came to be very 

 fond of the faithful, zealous, and efficient colored man who for years 

 did his bidding and ministered to his needs. 



Brewster had furnished the farm house with old fashioned 

 belongings befitting its age. These he collected with great taste 

 and judgment, so that everything looked in keeping and as though 

 a part of its surroundings. 



The times on the farm which I recall with the greatest pleasure 

 were our daily strolls in the near-by woods, and the evenings, which 

 we spent, each in an arm chair, before the open fire of gray birch 



